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5212 |
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Thursday, June 08, 2017, Hall 28 11:40 AM Tribological Coatings |
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Thermally sprayed hydrodynamic main bearings for wind turbines
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Wolfgang Wietheger* / RWTH Aachen University, Germany Kirsten Bobzin / Surface Engineering Institute (IOT), RWTH Aachen University, Germany Mehmet Öte/ Surface Engineering Institute (IOT), RWTH Aachen University, Germany Tim Königstein/ Surface Engineering Institute (IOT), RWTH Aachen University, Germany Tim Schröder/ Chair for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University, Germany Georg Jacobs/ Chair for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University, Germany Dennis Bosse/ Chair for Wind Power Drives (CWD), RWTH Aachen University, Germany |
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At present, main bearings in wind turbines are made of rolling bearings without exception. Plain bearings instead can offer a number of advantages, including easier maintenance, reduced weight and space, effective vibration damping, a higher reliability and lower costs. While conventional manufacturing processes for large plain bearings face their technical and economical limits regarding achievable bearing dimensions and processable materials, thermal spraying can provide a cost-effective alternative to meet the requirements by applying functional coating systems on the bearing surfaces. Within this research project a wide range of different materials are investigated. All coatings are tested based on the load distribution within the main bearing at critical operating conditions of the wind turbine gained from a simulation model. A tribological methodology is developed to investigate the properties of the thermal sprayed coatings. The effects of load and geometry of the counter body on the friction and wear behavior of the coatings are investigated using a modified highload tribometer. The presented results provide a major contribution to the purpose of identifying an appropriate coating system, to meet the requirements of slow-moving and highly loaded plain bearings. |